The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-11-06
What Shall We Call This I?

At the Steinway Hall meeting on Monday
night in support OF the present impractical
BILE law requiring the closing Of liquor saloons
on Sunday, DR.. JOHN HALL told the Ger
mans, In substance. that II they don't like
our Sunday laws they shouldn't stay here.
Having said that he "sympathlzed with
those people who como here from Germany"
he proceeded to treason with them and ap-
peal to their common sense" and in doing
80 used this illustration:
"rhe Post otcss here keep letters Sunday. pre-
sumably great many interesting letters Monday
morning Nov, might 90 70 the Post Oioe authorities
and In the country whore came from could get
my letters on Sunday The Post ofioo authorti.h
think would DO Justified In ssying Then, why didn't
you stay therer"
As a matter Of fact, the postal regulations
do not forbid the opening Of Post OfIlces on
Sunday, and Gin cases where the public
convenience requires that Post Once shall
be opened on Sunday" the Postmaster has
specific instructions as to his duty. The
mails, too, are carried ON Sunday. But,
passing that by, the Post ONCE authorities
would not be justified in making such a nc
tort as DR.. HALL puts into their mouths.
It would be contrary to the spirit Of our
institutions. They should reply rather
that II you want your letters on Sun
day as on other days. you must use
your privilege as citizen to bring about a
change in the law for In this republic the
law Ia only the expression Of the will OF the
majority Of the people. II you are not al
ready citizen, you can become one In due
time; and under our laws citizens natural
lied are just as much entitled to exercise
that privilege as citizens born In this country.
That Ia what the Post ONCE authorities
should say as 1T servants Of the sovereign
people, instead Of treating the foreign-born
critic a. II he were where he had no business
to be. and was the citizen Of q country not
governed by public opinion and with des-
polio and Interchangeable laws.
DR.. JOHN HALL himself Is an Irishman,
and has been q naturalized citizen for ton or
fifteen years only. and yet he thinks 1t en-
tirely proper for him, as 1t Is entirely proper,
TO vote and use his influence to change or to
keep laws, according as his convictions Of
public duty prompt. Why. then, have not
the naturalized Germans the same justifca-
ton for throwing their votes using their in
fiuence, and getting up public meetings In
favor Of measures that they think desirable
Neither Is there any warrant for calling
the law shutting up liquor saloons on Sun
day an American institution inherited from
our forefathers and consequently deserving
of veneration. Here In the State OF New
York, as early as 1641, the tapping Of beer on
Sunday was only forbidden during divine SER
vice and after nine o'clock at night. Under
PETER STuYvEsANT, brewers. tapsters and
tavern keepers were obliged to keep closed
on Sunday only before two o'clock, when
there Is no sermon or otherwise before four
O'Clock In the afternoon" and even then
they could supply travellers and boarders."
The Germans. therefore, and the citizens
Of New York Of all nationanties who want
the Sunday liquor law changed In accord
ance with Mayor HEwrrT's suggestion, are
merely asking that we return to the customs
OF our fathers. Yet DIR. JOHN HALL, himself
q comparatively recent Importation from
Ireland, tells them that II they do not like
the present law, with which he happens to
be suited. they had better leave the countryl
Does not such suggestion from such
source. and on such an occasion. SAVIOR Of
what might be called assumption2